Naturopathic medicine is a unique and comprehensive approach to improving health
and treating illness. It is based on
the healing power of nature and it supports and stimulates the body’s ability to
heal itself. It uses a combination
of natural medicines and gentle hands-on techniques.

Like a conventional doctor, dentist, or chiropractor, the naturopathic doctor first
completes pre-medical studies at University.
The naturopathic student then moves on to a four year, full-time program at an accredited
naturopathic college (The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine is one of four
such colleges in North America). The first two years of study focus
on basic medical sciences and diagnosis.
The last two years concentrated on naturopathic principles and therapeutics, including
extensive clinical practice in a supervised teaching clinic.

The safety record for naturopathic medicine is excellent. This makes sense given
the emphasis on non-toxic, natural source medicines and gentle, non-invasive treatments.
Side effects are rare and NDs are knowledgeable about contraindications between
naturopathic remedies and conventional medicines.

At this time naturopathic medicine is not covered by OHIP, however most insurance
providers do cover naturopathic medicine.
Insured patients can contact their employer or insurance agents to see if they are
covered.If not, such coverage can
often be included at nominal rates.

The basic therapies are clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine,
Asian medicine (acupuncture and eastern botanicals), physical treatments and health
counseling. The range of modalities
allows naturopathic doctors to develop treatment plans that address not only the
physical aspect of a person, but also the mental and emotional aspects.
The naturopathic therapies are all based on the same principles: they all
assist the body’s healing response, and they are often more effective when combined.

The first appointment with a naturopathic doctor is about 1 ½ hours and subsequent
appointments will be about ½ hour.
During the initial visit, Naturopathic doctors invest much of their time listening
and educating patients about medical terminology, test results from their family
medical doctor, questions they might have about previously diagnosed or new conditions,
and developing individual treatment plans.